Improvement in switch-attachments for street-cars



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN B. STAMOUR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR --TO HIM- SELF AND JOSEPH BILBROUGH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SWITCH-ATTACHMENTS FOR STREET-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,878, dated July 7, 1874; application filed June 27, 1874.

To all whom z't may concern Be it known that I, JOHN BAPTIST STAMoUR, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Switch Attachment for City Railroad Cars, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to that class ofswitch attachments for street-cars in which an adjustable hanger, suspended to the car by its contact with a central curved rail, moves the car laterally to another track; and my inven tion consists in the combination of an adjustable hanger, A, suspended at a to the body B of a car, and a sleeve, 0, secured to the axle D, and provided with annular flanges e e, as shown in the sectional elevations, Figures 1 and 2; the detached front elevation, Fig. 3; and detached plan view, Fig. 4, of the accompanying drawing.

The hanger A, consisting of a single block of metal, has a curved shoulder, :10, adapted to the central portion of the sleeve 0, and has at its lower end a friction-pulley, i, so arranged as to bear against the side of the central curved rail F of a switch or turnout when the hanger is in a vertical position. The distance between the flanges e e is sufficient to admit the hanger A freely between them, without permitting any material lateral motion, so that, when the lower end of the hanger is brought at either side against the curved rail, one of the said flanges will resist the lateral thrust and maintain the hanger in its vertical position. The backward thrust of the hanger is upon the body of the sleeve 0, which, with its flanges,

is, therefore, the only part of the device in frictional contact with the hanger. This is most important, as any direct bearing against the axle would soon wear the latter away to a dangerous extent at its lowest point. The sleeve (3 may be made in sections, so as tobe readily clamped to the axle, or removed when it becomes worn.

Various devices may be employed for raising and lowering the hanger. I prefer, however, to employa curved spring, I, bolted to the front platform of the car, and connected by a cord or chain, (1, passing through an opening in the platform to the hanger. The driver, by placing his foot upon the spring, slackens the rope so that the hanger will assume a vertical position, and upon removing the pressure the spring will recoil, carrying the hanger to the inclined position shown in E Fig. 2.

I claim The combination, with the adjustable hanger A, and with the axle of a railway'car, of a sleeve, (J, secured to, and covering the central portion of the axle, and turning therewith, and provided with collars e 6 arranged to receive the hanger between them, all as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. STAMOUR.

Witnesses:

OHAs. E. FOSTER, W. T. J oHNsoN. 

